Harrisburg Heat open season on the road in Baltimore

Indoor soccer is back and the Harrisburg Heat will kick off their 2024-2025 campaign on the road at the Baltimore Blast on Sunday afternoon ahead of their home opener on December 21.

The Heat return from a 2023-2024 season to forget where they managed just 8 points from 24 games to finish with the worst record among the league’s 13 teams. The Heat last made the playoffs in the 2016-17 season.

The Heat’s top three goal scorers from last season – Dominic Francis, Roshawn Panton and Malcolm Harris – are back. So too are veteran forward Joey Tavernese, defender Brad Kerstetter, Brazilian midfielder Thiago Frietas and goalkeeper Jorge Navarrete.

Offseason acquisitions include defenders Adriano Dos Santos and Jake Dengler and forward Mike da Silva, who was a longtime teammate of Heat coach Pat Healey in Baltimore. Dengler is a familiar face in the region as a standout defender from Christos FC and from USL League One team South Georgia Tormenta. Da Silva, who played for the Heat in 2022-2023 returns via a trade with the St. Louis Ambush. Anthony Wright, Noe Favila, Riley Urie and Ebiel Gamino all join the team from Empire Strykers. Gavin Tayor is a newcomer from Gulfport, Mississippi.

Other returners this year include Hummelstown native Jackson Becher returning for his third season, Pittsburgh natives Josh DiMatteo and Grant Glorioso are back for a third season and Andrea DiSomma and Matt Brummet are also both back for a third season. Zach Perry is back for a second season and Chilean defender Maxi Schenfeld is also back.